Missionary hopes to spread his faith to native Cubans

Castelltort looks forward to getting to know a nation few Americans have had the chance to visit.

Contributed photo

KINGSVILLE - For many, Cuba — the small island nation of more than 11.5 million — is a polarizing topic.

Depending on the generation you’re from, Cuba is associated with a number of international incidents from bringing the U.S. to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis to the case of Elian Gonzalez — the 7-year-old Cuban refugee at the center of a custody battle between relatives in the U.S. and his father in Cuba.

While Cuba is one of only a handful of communist states left in the world, for one Texas A&M University-Kingsville student, the island nation will represent a chance to spread love and faith this summer.

Hector Castelltort, 19, a sophomore at A&M-Kingsville, will spend a month in Cuba this summer doing missionary work with the Baptist General Commission of Texas.

Castelltort has done missionary work before, but this time is a little different and he’s looking forward to getting to know a nation few Americans have had the chance to visit because of travel restrictions.

“I know the one who is opening the doors is God,” Castelltort said. “It is not every day you can have the opportunity to go to Cuba. It’s hard to go there,” he said, adding that his group will be traveling with missionary visas.

To prepare, Castellort has read up on Cuban history, particularly the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power.

Fifty years ago, some members of Castellort’s extended family had to flee their island homes in the wake of the revolution.

Since then, Cuba has changed little, with most of that change occurring since Raul Castro took over the presidency from his brother first as a caretaker in 2006 and then as president in 2008. The nation has made some social advances in education and health care, but times in Cuba are still hard. The average monthly salary in Cuba is about $17, according to the U.S. State Department.

Castelltort doesn’t take a negative or a positive view on Cuban history, instead choosing to focus on how he can help spread hope to the Cuban people — something that may be a particular challenge because religion in Cuba had for decades been a taboo topic.

The missionary expects to see poverty and expects God’s message of love will be a salve for at least some willing to listen to the message he and his fellow missionaries will bring.

For Castelltort, the trip is a chance not just to share his faith, but to grow spiritually and personally.

“I know that God has sent me over there and that I have his protection, so that everything I do there is going to be good,” he said.

Former staff reporter Adriana Garza is pursuing a master’s degree in political science at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Contact her at adriana.garza@tamuk.edu.